Planning Ahead: Communicating End-of-Life Wishes This presentation is intended as a template Modify and/or delete slides as appropriate for your organization and community Delete this slide before use To view speaker notes and edit presentation, click 'Edit', then 'Edit slides'

Planning Ahead: Communicating End-of-Life Wishes (Add your organization’s name and contact information here)

Purpose Discover the value of talking about your end-of-life wishes Learn how to communicate your end-of-life wishes Use strategies to clarify and express your wishes Help others clarify and express their wishes

Why is talking so important? Conversations before the ‘crisis’ allow time for honest discussion, reflection and planning Opportunity to discover important information about yourself and your loved ones Most important gift you can give to prepare for end of life

Why is talking so hard? How do you feel about choices and care around the end of life? What do you want? What are you worried about? Who will make your decisions for you if you are unable?

Interesting to note… Most Americans – 88 percent – feel comfortable discussing issues relating to death and dying* Yet…how many of you have had a discussion with your family, a friend, your doctor, or a clergy about YOUR end-of-life wishes? * National Survey on Death, Dying, and Hospice Care in America, VITAS Innovative Healthcare, 2004

Conversation Triggers Family gatherings Death of friend or colleague Newspaper & magazine articles Movies & books Sermons TV talk shows Financial planning Medical checkups

How To Communicate Step 1: Introduce the conversation Step 2: Explore personal beliefs and values Step 3: Define end-of-life wishes Step 4: Document wishes

Step 1: Introduce the Conversation Timing is everything! Private, comfortable place Begin with a conversation trigger Importance of expressing end-of- life wishes

Step 2: Explore Personal Beliefs and Values Engage in a conversation about beliefs and values: - Happiness - Challenging Times - Spirituality - Family/Growing Up - Personal Values - Lifetime Legacies

Step 3: Define End-of-Life Wishes Beliefs –How do you want to prepare for death? –What would help you cope? Choices –Where do you want to spend your last days? –Who do you want near you? –What kind of medical care do you want?

Step 4: Document Wishes Complete your Advance Directives - Living Will - Health Care Power of Attorney Inform others - Health care professionals, physician - Family members, friends, self

Resources in Our Community

FREE Resources Available from Caring Connections State-specific advance directives ‘Planning Ahead’ Web information Brochures to download or order: –Conversations Before the Crisis –Ask Tough Questions –End-of-Life Decisions –Communicating End-of-Life Wishes –You Have Filled Out Your Advance Directive… Now What?

It’s About How You LIVE! L L earn about your options, choices and decisions I I mplement your advance directive plans V V oice your end-of-life wishes E E ngage others to talk about their wishes